Store-front construction.



PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

P. J. PLYM. STORE FRONT CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIOATION FILED JULYB. 1905.

x mm FIG.

WITNEbES I NVENT'OR.

- UNITED simp es PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS J. PLYM, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

sToRE-Fnonioopsi'RuonoN. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8, 1905. Serial No. 268,832.

'To all whom it TJMLZ/ concur/1 Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. PLYM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Store-Front Construction. of which the following is a S ecification.

My invention relates to store-front constructions, and more particularly to that porti on supporting and surrounding the windowglass; and the objects of the invention are to provide a substantial frame in which the glass is adapted to rest, means for holding the glass rigidly as regards edgewise or lateral movement in one direction and yieldingly against lateral movement in the opposite direction to accommodate expansion and contraction of the glass, drainage for water from condensation on or which is used in washing the window-glass, and for a free circulation of air to prevent excessive condensation on the inside of the glass and the formation of frost thereon, it being Well known that in the northern latitudes, where frost reigns for many months of the year, the merchants are put to much expense and trouble in keeping their show-windows free from frost;

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that t may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of a store-front construction embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the shelf portion of my improved store-front construction. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the portion which presses the window-glass outwardlyagainst the shelf and accommodates the expansion and contraction and variable thickness of the glass. Fig. 4 is a vertical section showin the storefront construction in operative position with res ect to the win-.

(low-glass, the sill, and the oor of the win In the said drawings, 1 indicates the window -sill, and 2 the fioor of the window. 3 indicates a metal plate fitting, by preference, against one edge of the floor and provided at suitable intervals with holes 4. 5 indicates a resilient gutter disposed at'the opposite side of the upper portion of said plate from the floor and, by preference, of integral foring upon and mation with the plate, and said gutter is provided at intervals with drain-holes 6.

A casing embodies a shelf-plate constructed as follows, and said plate is preferably formed by rolling, though that is immaterial, the plate shown representing that which underlies the window-glass:

7 indicates the standard or upright portion, the same being arranged, by preference, parallel with plate 3.

8 indicates a gutter projecting inward from the lower edge of the standard and underlying gutter 5.

9 indicates the base portion underlying the gutter and standard, by preference, and restprojccting to the outer edge of the sill 1. v

10 indicates the shelf formed at the upper edge of the standard and provided at the edge or'side most remote from plate 3 with an upwardly-projecting flange 11, against which the window-glass 12, resting upon the lie shelf, is adapted to be held with a yielding pressure by the resilient gutter 5," as shown clearly in I ig.-4, it being understood of course, thatthe shelf may be of any suita le crosssectional type which will serve'to form a support for the window-glass and at the same time limit the outward movement of the latter.

By the arrangement described it will be apparent that water applied to the inner surface of the glass or produced thereon by condensation will flow into the gutter 5 and pass through the drain-holes 6 of the latter into gutter 8 and escape through the drainholes 13 in the lower portion of the standard.

It will also be noticed that should some of the water pass down between the glass and the gutter 5 it will be caught by the gutter 8, and consequently be discharged through the drain-holes 13, and that should any water running down the outside .of the glasspass under the latter and over the shelf it likewise will enter the gutter 8 and be discharged therefrom through drain-holes 13.

The standard is provided at sgitable points with apertures 14 in alinement with apertures 4, and through said alined apertures wood-screws. 15 or other fastening devices extend and enga e the floor of so as to secure t e standard at the proper point on the sill.

In securing the parts in position the standard is first disposed upon the sill a greater 10 the window,

IIO

distance from plate 3 than as'shown in Fig. 4 in order that the window-glass may be placed upon the shelf without the necessity of repressing the resilient gutter. The screws or fastening devices 15 are then fitted in place and screwed home, so as to draw the standard and glass to the required position and cause the latter under the action of the spring-gutter to be pressed tightly against the flange of the shelf. As thus arranged it will be seen that the exit for the water is not only free and unobstructed, but that the drain-holes likewise provide for a free circulation of air around the glass and the consequent equalization of the temperature of both surfaces of the latter.

While the above description relates to that portion of the frame underlying and sustaining the weight of the window-glass, it is to be understood that similar perforated shelf portions are employed at the side and top edges of the glass in order that the air circulating through the various holes or apertures described may have access to the entire inner surface of the glass. It will likewise be understood that yielding means for applying outward pressure upon the glass near its side and upper edges will also be employed, and that if such means is in the form of a continuous gutter it will be perforated.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a store-front construction possessing the desirable features of advantage enumerated in the statement of the object of the invention and which obviously may be modified in minor particulars without departing from the principle of construction involved.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a window-setting, a rigid shelf in the window-opening, formed with a portion projecting farther inward 'of said opening near one edge of the shelf than the other, a window-glass fitting edgewise against the face of the shelf, and a resilient means for applying lateral pressure on the glass to clamp it firmlyagainst the said projectinIg portion of the shelf.

'2. n a construction of the character described, the combination of a windowsetting, a rigid shelf in the window-opening and provided with air-holes, and with a rigid portiOIl projecting farther inward of said opening near one edge of the shelf than the other, a window-glass fitting edgewise against the face of the shelf, and resilient means for applying lateral pressure on the glass to clamp the same firmly against said projecting portion of the shelf.

3. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a window-sill, the floor of the window, a shelf supported upon the sill, a window-glass resting upon the shelf, and a resilient gutter interposed between the lloor and the lower portion of the window-glass and pressing the latter yieldipgly against the shelf and away from the I oor.

4. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a window-sill, the floor of the window, a shelf supported upon the sill, a window-glass resting upon the shelf, a resilient gutter interposed between the floor and thelower portion of the windowglass and pressing the latter yieldingly against the shelf and away from the floor, and fastening devices securing the shelf at the proper point upon the sill.

5. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a window-sill, the

floor of the window, a shelf supported upon the sill, a window-glass resting upon the shelf, a resilient gutter interposed between the floor and the lower portion of the window-glass and pressing the latter yieldingly against the shelf and away from the floor, and screws extending through the shelf and into the floor of the window and securing said shelf at the desired point of adjustment.

6. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a shelf having one or more holes in its lower portion, a window-glass upon the shelf, and a resilient gutter pressing upon the lower portion of the glass to clamp it firmly upon the shelf.

7. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a shelf having one or more holes in its lower portion, a window-glass upon the shelf, and a resilient gutter pressing upon the lower portion of the glass to clamp the same firmly upon the shelf and providedwith one or more drain-holes.

8. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a shelf, a gutter at one side of the shelf and adapted to discharge water externally of the latter, a window-glass upon the shelf, and means above the shelf applying a yielding pressure on the glass to clamp it firmly upon the shelf.

9. In a construction of thecharacter described, the combination of a shelf, a gutter at one side of the shelf and adapted to discharge water externally of the latter, a window-glass upon the shelf, and a resilient gutter above the first-named gutter and provided with one or more drain-openings and applying a yielding pressure against the lower portion of the-glass to clamp the same firmly upon the shelf.

10. In a construction of the character described, the combination of'a window-setting, a shelf within and rigid with said setting and provided with one or more apertures, a window-glass within the window- ICC opening and having edgewise engagement.

with theshelf, a flange at one edge of the shelf and overlapping the contiguous face of the glass, and means for applying a'yielding pressure laterally against the glass to press the same firmly against said llange.

11. In a constriu-tion of the character described, the combination of a Windowglass, a rigid part engaging the saine and preventing niovenient thereol' edge'wise or sidewise in one direction and provided with one or more apertures, means applying a yielding pressure against the glass to damp it firmly upon and laterally against said part and adjustable means for securing said part With the glass clamped between it and. said yielding means.

12. la a window-front construction, a me tallie plate coni irising' a standard, a shelf projecting substantially at right angles to the standard from one edge of the same and provided at its opposite edge from the standard with a flange paralleling the standard, a gutter projecting from the opposite edge of the standard from the shelf, and in the opposite direction to the latter, and a base portion fitting against said gutter at the opposite side of the same from the shelf and projecting in the same direction but at a greater distance than said shelf from said standard.

13. In a construction of the character described a metallic. plate having a resilient and substantially V-shaped gutter formed integrally with said plate and disposed at one isidle of the same and provided with drainl0 es.

FRANCIS J. PLYM.

Vvitnesses:

GEORGE L. KELLY, EDWIN T. WILKINS. 

